This invention relates to a class of 2-nitrobenzofuran derivatives wherein the 3-position is substituted by a methyl, ethyl or phenyl group, the benzo ring is substituted by a phenyl group, and one additional substituent selected from carboxyl, hydroxymethyl, hydroxyethyl, carboxymethyl and ureidomethyl is present, and pharmaceutically acceptable salts of the acids. It also relates to the use of the compounds as antimicrobial agents and to synthetic intermediates useful for the preparation of the compounds of the invention.
Compounds wherein 2-nitro-3-phenylbenzofuran is substituted by a carboxyl group or an alkanoic acid group are known to have antimicrobial activity (see Belgium Pat. No. 846,502 and German Offenlegungsschrift P 2642877). The compounds of the present invention which contain such groups differ from these prior art compounds in that they additionally have a phenyl group bonded to the benzo ring. The prior art does not disclose compounds which are structurally similar to the remaining compounds of the invention (i.e. which do not contain a carboxyl group or an alkanoic acid group).